I have a question

[Chuck58]

Not to get too far off subject, but I think the Bilderberger plot for world control is real. I'm also of the opinion there are at least a couple of other similar groups with the same agenda, working in concert to achieve a one government world - with them at the head.

Personally, I don't think we've had a President elected since 1960 (maybe Reagan, and he folded in his second term) who hasn't been assisted by them. This election year, we've finally reached the point where no matter who we vote for, it won't matter. They're different sides of the same coin.

I'm speaking as a Conservative so right wing that Genghis Khan would cringe at hearing my political views, and this is my obligatory political rant that I've been busting a gut trying to hold in until the appropriate moment.

[ScriptNurse]

Maybe an assassination is a McGuffin for something else ... maybe a world-control Bilderberger plot.

[Chuck58]

That's an option I haven't considered. I can see several ways to play it, including yours. It's the kind of script that can veer in any number of directions. I just have to figure which way to work it.

[Shindig]

In all fairness, I do sort of have a novel going in the thriller genre. I haven't touched it in quite a while. It involves a professional assassin - not your run of the mill Mafia type hit man or the guy the disgruntled spouse hires for a few grand, but a pro who only accepts high pay contract jobs, similar to Frederick Forsyth's Day of the Jackal character.

I stopped work on it because his latest job was to assassinate the President, and I didn't think that was appropriate. Although the FBI doesn't impress me (I've seen them in action), I'd still prefer not to get a knock on my door from them or the Secret Service, who I've also seen at work (They DO impress me).

Before starting, I put several months of serious research into the above, including emails, phone calls, etc. Believe it or not, there actually exists a handful of men in this country who do the above, and the contracts are for huge sums of money.

Why not have him stop an assassination?  Or, it begins as an assassination but another party muscles in and our protagonist now has to prevent the other shooter from claiming the prize.  In the aftermath, the President escapes unharmed but he claims a bounty for the assassin he's just stopped?

[Chuck58]

I don't particularly care whether I ever get on the screen. A respectable sum for an option on a screenplay would satisfy me. Preferably five figures, but even a four figure option would make me happy. I don't know how a money option is figured against a sale price.

True or not, I read somewhere that there are screenplay writers who make a good living just from options on their scripts. I want the money. Having the thing on the big screen would be nice since it's a step toward the possibility toward more sales.

Either way, even though I don't particularly enjoy what I'm apparently reasonably good at writing, I'll stick with it. Maybe I should say re-writing. I'm a lousy writer but a pretty good re-writer.

[robogabs]

I've tried my hand at quite a few different styles (horror, political thrillers, romantic comedy, and teen comedy). I haven't tried sci-fi, although I sometimes enjoy them, too (War of the Worlds, Minority Report). It's fun to try things which challenge us, but we all want someone to recognize our genius (and pay us for the same)!!!  
In my case, I think science fiction is the one barrier I can't get around, although I do have a few ideas I haven't tackled yet.
Changing styles seems to force us to use our brains more. I find comedy really hard to write, but I've had more interest in my comedies than anything else.

[Chuck58]

What I'm considering is, my assassin turning down the job and his clients attempting to remove him. They don't believe he'll remain silent. Thus, he turns the table and begins to hunt them. I've got several different variations of the above written out. Once I get my current thing done, I may pick it up again.

I kind of liked working with the guy while I was writing the story.

[LloJo]

"The Manchurian Candidate" dealt with the subject, with a twist, and quite admirably I thought. If the Secret Service is aware of what you're doing, and your story does not include a successful assassination of the POTUS, you'll avoid grief. A foiled attempt would be permissible, it's a case of "the good guy has to win."
Good luck!

[Chuck58]

In all fairness, I do sort of have a novel going in the thriller genre. I haven't touched it in quite a while. It involves a professional assassin - not your run of the mill Mafia type hit man or the guy the disgruntled spouse hires for a few grand, but a pro who only accepts high pay contract jobs, similar to Frederick Forsyth's Day of the Jackal character.

I stopped work on it because his latest job was to assassinate the President, and I didn't think that was appropriate. Although the FBI doesn't impress me (I've seen them in action), I'd still prefer not to get a knock on my door from them or the Secret Service, who I've also seen at work (They DO impress me).

Before starting, I put several months of serious research into the above, including emails, phone calls, etc. Believe it or not, there actually exists a handful of men in this country who do the above, and the contracts are for huge sums of money.

[Shindig]

I've tried my hand at that but it just developed into some dark comedy.

[seansshack]

I enjoy romantic comedies - could I write one? tried several times and fell flat.

[Shindig]

<sticks hand up>

Spy thrillers are an absolute ball-ache to write.  Luckily, I've got other projects to keep me occupied.

[Chuck58]

Has anybody ever run up against this?

You love watching movies in a specific genre. The books you read and TV shows you like best are in that genre. But you can't write either a novel or screenplay in it.

I'm a huge fan of Westerns. Always have been. I enjoy thrillers and spy type movies, and I'm a fanatic on history type movies and books. I can't write any of it worth a dang.

I don't watch crime fiction, yet I write it fairly well. I'm not especially fond of supernatural or paranormal type shows, but I can mix crime and paranormal and come out with books that sell - and hopefully a screenplay or three or four eventually.

Just curious whether it's another weird quirk of mine or if anybody else experiences this.